Stress-based Topology Optimization Method and Tool

Abstract

A method ( 10 ) for performing stress-based topology optimization of a structure ( 2, 102, 202 ) on a computational device ( 302 ) is provided. Upon receiving a problem definition of the structure ( 2, 102, 202 ) from an input device ( 304 ) coupled to an input of the computational device ( 302 ), the method ( 10 ) may generate a density filter, interpolation schemes for stiffness, volume and stress, a global stress measure, an adaptive normalization scheme and a regional stress measure, to determine an optimized stress-based solution to the problem defined. The method ( 10 ) may further enable the optimized solution to be rendered for display at an output device ( 306 ) coupled to an output of the computational device ( 302 ).

1 . A method for performing stress-based topology optimization of a structure on a computational device, comprising the steps of:
 receiving first data at an input device coupled to an input of the computational device the first data pertaining to a problem definition of the structure;   generating a density filter;   generating interpolation schemes for stiffness, volume and stress;   generating a global stress measure;   generating an adaptive normalization scheme;   generating a regional stress measure;   generating second data based on the first data, the density filter, the interpolation schemes, the global stress measure, the adaptive normalization scheme and the regional stress measure, the second data pertaining to an optimized solution to the problem definition; and   displaying the optimized solution at an output device coupled to an output of the computational device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interpolation schemes includes a solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) model for stiffness and volume. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first data includes information pertaining to geometric features of the structure, material features of the structure, and stress constraints imposed upon the structure; 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first data includes finite element analysis information, material model information, filter radius information and load distribution information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second data includes information pertaining to maximum stress and compliance values. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the output device is a monitor configured to display the optimized solution as structural design images representing density and stress distributions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adaptive normalization scheme relies upon previous optimization iteration information to normalize the global stress measure. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the regional stress measure defines a plurality of regions that are interlaced based on elements that are sorted according to respective stress levels. 
     
     
         9 . A system for performing stress-based topology optimization of a structure, comprising:
 an input device;   an output device; and   a computational device having a microprocessor and a memory for storing an algorithm for performing stress-based topology optimization, the algorithm configuring the computational device to:
 receive first data at the input device, the first data pertaining to a problem definition of the structure, 
 generate a density filter, 
 generate interpolation schemes for stiffness, volume and stress, 
 generate a global stress measure, 
 generate an adaptive normalization scheme, 
 generate a regional stress measure, 
 generate second data based on the first data, the density filter, the interpolation schemes, the global stress measure, the adaptive normalization scheme and the regional stress measure, the second data pertaining to an optimized solution to the problem definition, and 
 output the second data to the output device. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the algorithm further configures the computational device to temporarily store the first data within the memory. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the interpolation schemes includes a solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) model for stiffness and volume. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the output device is a monitor configured to display the optimized solution as structural design images representing density and stress distributions. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first data includes information pertaining to geometric features of the structure, material features of the structure and stress constraints imposed upon the structure. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first data includes finite element analysis information, material model information, filter radius information and load distribution information. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second data includes information pertaining to maximum stress and compliance values. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the adaptive normalization scheme relies upon previous optimization iteration information to normalize the global stress measure. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the regional stress measure defines a plurality of regions that are interlaced based on elements that are sorted according to respective stress levels. 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having control logic stored therein for configuring a computer to perform stress-based topology optimization for a given problem definition, the control logic comprising:
 first program code for configuring the computer to generate a density filter;   second program code for configuring the computer to generate interpolation schemes for stiffness, volume and stress;   third program code for configuring the computer to generate a global stress measure;   fourth program code for configuring the computer to generate an adaptive normalization scheme; and   fifth program code for configuring the computer to generate a regional stress measure.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18  further comprising sixth program code for configuring the computer to generate an optimized solution based on the problem definition, the density filter, the interpolation schemes, the global stress measure, the adaptive normalization scheme and the regional stress measure. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the optimized solution enables rendering of structural design images to display density and stress distributions.